Despite the delay in rebuilding Marawi, the United States and Australia have extended more aid to the thousands of individuals displaced by the bloody military campaign in 2017 to retake the city from pro-Islamic State terrorists. The US government announced on Thursday an additional P234 million ($4.5 million) aid package, bringing its total assistance so far to the Marawi recovery efforts to P3.4 billion ($63.6 million). Australia gave an additional P140 million (AUD 3.5 million) in livelihood aid for about 6,500 families from Marawi. It has helped improve conditions in evacuation centers and host communities of displaced Marawi residents since the early stages of the conflict, the embassy said. Canberra commitmentAustralian Ambassador to Manila Steve Robinson said Canberra was committed to help in the recovery and reconstruction of Marawi.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer July 18, 2019 21:33 UTC